Lumber sorting apparatus



Oct. 14, 1952 c. F. SETZER ETAL LUMBER SORTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1948 2 Sl-lEETS Sl-EET 1 INVENTORS an s z n aR m 5w w P. m cEMW a Oct. 14, 1952 F, SETZER 2,613,825

.716. :0. Ryan BY v-Luul/ ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 14, 1952 LUMBER SORTING. APPARATUS Curt F. Setzer and Herbert W. Ryan, Sacramento,

Calif., assignors to Setzer Forest Products, Inc., Sacramento, Calif., a corporation Application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,348

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, novel apparatus for sorting green lumber as cut in a sawmill; the apparatus being especially useful to sort lumber according to size (width or thickness), or for grade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lumber sorting apparatus which includes a plurality of separate racks, and'manually controlled gates corresponding to the racks arranged to function, selectively, to deflect individual pieces of lumber, of the same size or grade, from a feed conveyor. into the corresponding rack.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a lumber sortingapparatus, as above, wherein the racks-are elongated and comprise gravity feed conveyors; there being releasable stop'units associated with these conveyor racks to the end that a load or package of sorted lumber may be accumulated in each rack and then released for further handling.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lumber sorting apparatus, as in the preceding paragraph, in which the stops are manually releasable, and of novel construction and operation.

, A further object of the invention is to produce a practical and reliable lumber sorting apparatus and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts.

as will fully appearby a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal elevation of the novel lumber sorting apparatus.

,Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating one of the gates between the feed conveyor and the rack assembly.

I Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the fluid pressure control system as is employed for each of the gate actuating power cylinders.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing one of the releasable stop units in operative position.

- Figure 5 is a similar view, but shows such stop unit released.

Figure'fi is a cross section on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the novel lumber sorting apparatus comprises an upstanding frame, indicated generally at I, which is mounted atop thereof with ,a powered endless" feed'co'n'veyor 2 whichincludes a transversely 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-11) spaced pair of longitudinal feed chains 3 ;"tne conveyor 2 extending to a discharge point atthe upperv end of a forwardly and downwardly inclined lumber chute 4 which includes a plurality of transversely spaced, but parallel, --.chute beams 5. r Beyond the chute 4 there is an elon ated rack assembly 6 which includes a plurality'of longitudinally extending vertically spaced fracks1,,.

each of which is in the form of a gravity feed conveyor sloping downwardly in a direction away from the chute 4.

Each of the gravity fe'ed'conveyor racks 'comprises a pair of transversely spacedlongitudinal beams 8, each fitted with a multiplicity of transverse axis rollers 9 which project' abo've said beams; the latter being carriedon cross beams [0, which in-turn are supported by posts ll.

At their discharge ends the gravity feed con-- veyor racks discharge onto a powered, endless carry-off" conveyor unit 12; said unit being actuated by a motor l3 through the medium'of a drive M. H

Except for the lowermost conveyor rack 1, said these parts being sufficient to' permit lumbe'r to slide down said chute 4 Without structural interferenc'e. The racks 1, by predetermination, correspond to lumber of given size (Width or thickness) ora given grade. v

The present invention contemplates the employment of a mechanism hereinafter described to sort lumber from the conveyor 2, and to cause its delivery, onto the corresponding rack I; such mechanism comprising:

In cooperative relation to the forward end of each rack 1, except for the lowermost one which runs directly to the chute 4, there is a normally open deflector gate I5 associated with the chute 4 and adapted, when closed (swung upwardly and rearwardly), to deflect lumber from said chute onto the corresponding rack I.

Each such deflector gate l5 includes a cross shaft I6 journaled in connection with the chute beams 5, and having deflector arms I! projecting radially therefrom, normally in a downward direction substantially parallel to said chute beams 5. In this normal position of the deflector arms I! the corresponding deflector gate I5 is ineffective or open.

deflector arms-l1 of each deflector, gate 15. Each cylinder I8 includes an upwardly projecting plunger l9 pivoted to the adjacent deflector arm H, as at 20, while the opposite end of each cylinder is pivoted, as at 2|, to a supporting beam 22 below the chute 4 parallel thereto.

The plungers l9 are each normally retracted and are adapted to be controlled to extend and retract the same by a fiuid'pressure system including-apair -of conduits 23 which lead to a four-way control valve 24 which derives) pressure from a supply conduit 25 and vents through a conduit 26.

Each four-way control valve 24 is o erated by a spring-lifted foot pedal 21 which projects upwardly through an operators platform 28sup,-

ported by the frame I belowand to oneside of the feed conveyor 2 whereby the operator may visually inspect the size or grade of lumber 29 traveling, transversely, on? the feed conveyor 2 in spaced relation. Depression of each foot pedal 21 operates the corresponding four-way control yalve Zi-t cause the-related plunger I9 to ex- .tend, closing .the corresponding deflector gate with the adjacent rack I; 1

Itwill, therefore,-be recognizedthat as each piece of:lumber:29; delivers from'the-v feed conveyor 2 to the chute 4 the operatorfby foot manipulation ofthecorresponding pedal 21, can

'causeclosingof the deflector gate I 5 correspond- 7 ing to the conveyor raclg 1 'into which such piece of; lumber; should passin sorted relation. If a pieceoflumber, corresponding to the lowermost conveyor rack 'l, enters the chute i -the operator closesnogate andpermits such piece of lumber to slide directly'fromsaid chute to said lowermost conveyor rack.

' I ,Withthe; above described mechanism, accurate and expeditious sorting of lumber from a sawmill can be accomplished; the sorted lumber traveling by; gravity down the corresponding conveyor racks I- but normally being held from escape therefrom-bye plurality of corresponding and releasable stopunitseach of which is indicated at30. The sorted lumber accumulateson corresponding-conveyor racks 1 as long as thecorresponding I stop'unit 30 is in operative position. After a load :or-ffpackage oflumber, accumulates on any given one 0i?;the conveyor racks 1, the corresponding stop-;unit 30is-released'whereupon such lumber -continues by gravity on its conveyor rack 1 to discharge onto the powered,- endless carry-01f conveyorunit 12." From the conveyor-unit! 2, which istthen carryinglumberuof asorted, predetermined size or grade,'such'lumbe r may be handled inanysuitable' manner.

The stop unit 30 for each rack 1 is of novel Qconstructionand operation, as'follows:

A cross shaft 3l, journaled in attachment ears 32' afiixed to the adjacentposts I I, extends below the longitudinal beams 8 of the related rack and saidcross shaft 3| I carries a pair of radial stops 33 which normally upstand into the path of lumher on said rack. At oneend thereof each cross shaft 3| is fitted with a fixed radial arm 34 having abearing 35 onits outer end; the axis of such' *b'earing being parallel to-a line tangential to the -cros s'shaft 3|.' A turnable rod 36 is carried in termediate its 'endsin the bearing 35; axial shifting of said rod 3fi-being prevented by collars 31 on opposite sides of'the bearing The radial arm 34 is normally disposed at a forward and down- -ward inclinepwhereby the rod 36 normally ex- 7 tends; at a forward and upward incline; the upper 1 endof}said?rod having-a-lateral -handle 38 thereon while the lower end of the rod has a lateral foot 39 projecting in the same direction.

In the normal position of each stop unit, with the radial stops 33 projecting into the lumber path, the rod 36 is turned with the lateral foot 39 projecting inwardly so that 'it then abuts against the forward edge of the adjacent post ll.

'Io release each stop unit the rod 36 is turned a quarter turn by the handle 38; whereupon the lateral foot 39 escapes the adjacent post H per- 1 I mitting the radial arm 34 to swing downwardly with the result that the radial stops 33 swing forwardly andlower to a position clear of the lumher path. 7

The. described lumber sorting apparatus, while being relativelysimple in its structure, nevertheless providesa practical and reliable structure capable of accomplishing relatively high speed, manually controlled but mechanical sorting of lumber as delivered from a sawmill. From the .foregoing description it will be readily seenithat'therehas been produeedadevice as substantially} fulfills the invention as set forth herein. I

While thisspecification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still, in practice such deviations from such detail may beresortedto as do notiorm a, departure from the spiritof theinvention, as defined by objects of the theappended claimsj Having thu -deseribed-the invention, the following is.- claimedas; new and useful and upon which Letters Patent isjdesired l. Lumber sorting apparatus comprising a lumber feed conveyor, achute to whichthe feed conveyor delivers lumber-{the lumber sliding'down the chute, a plurality of lumber racks disposed invertically spaced 'relationsadjacent but beyond the chute; a plurality of normally open'lum ber deflector gates mounted in connection with the chute-and each adapted to close, in lumber deflecting relation,'with a corresponding rack,

an lODerators station adjacent the feed'conveyor.

and chute, and operator controlled mechanism operative to cause selective closing of said gates;

the gates each comprising aftransverse" shaft the chute and each-ad'apte'd 'to close, inlurriber deflecting -*relation, with a corresponding rack, an operators station adjacent the "feed conveyor and chute, and master controlled mechanism operative to cause selectivecIosing-ofsaid gates; said mechanism including a fluid pressure actuated power cylinder connected toj each gate, a

fluid pressure control sys'temfor eachjcylinder, a

" control valve 'foreacli system;anda foot pedal to" actuate each" valve, the "foot gpedals being readily accessible tron! said "station. 3. i Lumber sorting apparatus comprising a con- We s -seemed 9f ie.:. wnb r in a predetermined path, a plurality of elongated gravity feed conveyor racks mounted in spaced apart relation adjacent the conveyor assembly,

said racks corresponding to predetermined lumber sizes or grades, manually controlled deflector mechanism operative to deflect lumber of such sizes or grades from said path onto corresponding racks, and a normally operative but releasable lumber stop unit cooperating With each conveyor rack remote from its receiving end; said stop 10 units each comprising a cross shaft below the path of lumber on the corresponding conveyor rack, a normally upstanding stop element on the shaft projecting into said last named path, and means releasably securing the shaft against rotation in a stop element lowering direction; said last named means comprising a radial arm fixed on the shaft, a bearing on the arm with the bearing axis in intersecting relation, a rod turnably but axially non-shiftably journaled intermediate its ends in the bearing, a lateral handle on one end of the rod, and a lateral foot on the other end of the rod; there being an abuttment which the foot engages in one rotative position of the rod and clears in another rotative position thereof.

CURT F. SETZER. HERBERT W. RYAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 238,220 Davies Mar. 1, 1881 1,288,116 Moore Dec. 17, 1918 1,302,466 Finster et al. Apr. 29, 1919 1,441,661 Church Jan. 9, 1923 1,452,711 Schroeder et a1 Apr. 24, 1923 1,618,303 Mitchell Feb. 22, 1927 1,832,517 Werner Nov. 17, 1931 1,869,210 Moore July 26, 1932 2,361,459 Corbin Oct. 31, 1944 2,497,874 Evans et a1. Feb. 21, 1950 2,591,599 Parker Jan. 8, 1952 

